Appointment with Danger *** (1950, Alan Ladd, Phyllis Calvert, Paul Stewart, Jan Sterling, Jack Webb, Harry Morgan) – Classic Movie Review 10,128

Director Lewis Allen’s efficiently written, decently made and quite involving 1950 black and white film noir crime thriller Appointment with Danger stars Alan Ladd as dedicated American Postal Service inspector Al Goddard, who is sent to Gary, Indiana, to investigate when a co-worker officer is murdered. He joins forces with the sole witness, a nun called Sister Augustine (Phyllis Calvert), to solve the case of airmail robberies and murder.

Ladd is fine, still in his prime as the US Mail’s ace agent, British actress Calvert charms in her surprise Hollywood appearance, Paul Stewart is good value as Earl Boettiger, and Jan Sterling excels as the acidic gangster’s moll Dodie.

In a now amusing turn of events, 1950s Dragnet TV nice cops Jack Webb and Harry Morgan play the bad guys, Joe Regas and George Soderquistand it is Webb’s splendid display of villainy that dominates and lifts the whole movie.

Also in the cast are David Bauer [David Wolfe], Dan Riss, Harry Antrim, Geraldine Wall, George J Lewis and Paul Lees.

It is mostly shot in the studio at Paramount Studios, 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood.

The writers are Richard L Breen and Warren Duff.

Appointment with Danger is directed by Lewis Allen, runs 90 minutes, is made by Paramount, is released by Paramount, is written by Richard L Breen and Warren Duff, is shot in black and white by John F Seitz, is produced by Robert Fellows, is scored by Victor Young, with production designs by Hans Dreier.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,128

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